Vehicle-spring.



R. MULHOLLAND, DECD.

- 0. B. MULHOLLAND, ADMINISTRATOR.

VEHICLE SPRING.

APPLI ATION 211,51) JAN.12, 1907.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

furmmms rrrzns cm, WA!KINOTON.-D- c.

UNITED STATESPATENT OFFTQE.

RICHARD MULHOLLAND, OF DUNKIRK, NEW YORK; OWEN B. MULHOLLAND,ADMINISTRA- TOR OF SAID RICHARD MULHOLLAND, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO THEMULHOLLAND COMPANY, OF DUNKIRK, NEW YORK.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Application filed January 12, 1907. Serial No. 351,971.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD MULHOL- LAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dunkirk, in the county of Chautauqua and State ofNew York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inVehicle-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle Springs andparticularly to certain improvements in the couplings or connections fortorsion and semi-elliptic vehicle springs, and the principal object isto provlde a coupling which shall be strong enough in all its parts andits fastenings to resist any strain without bending or displacement.

The invention also relates to certain details of construction all ofwhich will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which preferredadaptations of the invention are shown.

Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of a vehicle body provided with theimproved springs. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one form ofthe improved springs. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of one formof coupling attached to a fragment of a leaf spring and in its closedposition. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the form of couplingshown in Fig. 3, in its open position and detached from its connectionto its supporting leaf spring, the fragment of the end of the leafspring being shown removed from the coupling. Fig. 5 is a centralvertical longitudinal section through the coupling shown in Figs. 3 andi. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the coupling shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5in open position with the ball seated in the socket. Fig. 7 is anenlarged side elevation of another form of coupling, attached to afragment of a leaf spring. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the couplingshown in Fig. 7, with the screw cap removed and the ball exposed. Fig. 9is a central vertical longitudinal section through the coupling shown inFigs. 7 and 8. Fig. 10 is a central vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the coupling shown inFigs. 7 8 and 9, with a different form ofscrew cap.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 represents the body of thevehicle, and 2, semielliptic springs which are arranged transversely ofthe body near each end thereof in the usual manner over the front andrear axles. The socket member of a ball coupling is attached to each endof the main leaf of each spring 2, by rivets or similar means.

The purpose in providing a separate socket member is to overcome thedifficulty of forming it integral with the leaf spring and also toenable the locating of the socket members accurately and exactly inposition. By forming the socket members separate from the sprmgs theymay be cast or forged accurately under a drop hammer so that they willbe exact duplicates and the springs may all be made exactly the samelength for a given size. This is a great advantage as with the socketmembers exact duplicates and the springs of exactly equal length whenthe socket members are fastened to the ends of the springs, each andevery complete spring will be an exact and accurate duplicate of allother springs of the same size. Further the socket members may be madecompletely of suitable rigid and unyielding metal and the springs ofsuitable spring metal.

The semi-elliptic springs are yieldingly connected to the vehicle bodyby torsion springs, which are formed of suitable bars of spring metalbent into the desired shapes. The torsion springs are in pairs and aresimilar except in the direction of their bends. The torsion springslocated near one end of the body consist of the short transverseinwardly extending portions 3, which are fastened rigidly to the body,the longitudinal torsional portions 4:, extending forward and atsubstantially right angles from the outer ends of the portions 3, thetransversely extending portions 5, which extend oppositely from eachother and are located just beyond one end of the body see Fig. 1, andthe short longitudinal portions 6, which are provided at their outerextremities with ball or similar enlargements 7 The torsion springslocated near the opposite end of the body comprise the longitudinalinner portions 8, which are fastened rigidly to the body, theintermediate transverse torsional portions 9, which extend oppositelyfrom each other from the ends of the portions 8, to and slightly beyondthe sides of the body, the longitudinal portions 10, and the shortinwardly extending transverse portions 11, which terminate in the ballor similar enlargements 12. It is obvious that for certain purposeseither of these forms of torsion springs may be used in lieu of theother.

The form of torsion spring described first will hereinafter be termedfor brevity, the longitudinal torsion springs, and the form of torsionspring described afterward will be hereinafter termed the transversetorsion springs.

It will be noted-that the socket member employed in connection with oneform of spring has an opening on its side while the other opens on itsouter end.

The coupling shown in Figs. 3, 4L and 5, consists of two members 13 and14:, which are hinged or pivoted at one end by a pin 15, and areprovided with semi-spherical depressions in which concavo-conveX orcupped packings 16 and 17 of leather or other suitable material arefitted. Transverse grooves 18 and 19, extend out from the depressionsthrough the sides of the members and, together, when the members are inclosed position, form a circular opening. The member 13, is cut away toform a seat in which the end of the main or top leaf of thesemi-elliptic spring is fitted and secured by rivets 20 or the like, seeFig. 5, to fasten the coupling to the end of the spring. The othermember 14, when in closed position is fastened rigidly in place by abolt 21 or other suitable fastening. This form of coupling is chieflyadapted to be used with the form of torsion spring having the ball ends7 although with slight alteration they may be changed to serve with theother form of spring described.

The form of coupling shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, consists of a socketmember 22, and a screw cap member 28. The socket member 22, is attachedto the end of one of the spring leafs by rivets 2 1, and is providednear its outer end with a deep socket in which a packing 25, of leatheror other suit able material is fitted. A short tubular flange 26,extends laterally from the margin of the metal surrounding the socketwhich is screw threaded on its outer surface. The screw cap 23, screwsupon the flange 26, and has a block 27, fitted within and provided witha shallow recess in its bottom surface in which a packing 28 of leatheror the like is fitted. The wall of the socket member is slotted deeplyat its outer end as shown at 29 in Figs. 8 and 9, to provide an openingfor the reception of the arm 11, when the ball 12, is fitted in thesocket member. cated on the side instead of the end to enable the use ofthis form of socket with the second form of torsion spring described.

In Fig. 10, a screw plug 30, is shown which may be utilized in place ofthe screw It is obvious that this slot may be 10- cap, the interior ofthe flange being screw threaded and the packing being fitted in thelower end of the plug.

The leather packing which is preferably employed in all the couplings iscoated with graphite or other suitable lubricant.

The torsion springs are fastened at suitable points to the vehicle bodyby metallic clamps 31.

The transverse torsion springs are best adapted to be used for bodieshaving the semi-elliptic springs located at a considerable distance fromthe end of the body, owing to the fact that this style of torsionsprings can be attached close up to the longitudinal portions 10, of thesprings which are widely separated and extend close along the sides ofthe body to its connection with the ends of the semi-elliptic springs.By this means the strain upon the torsion portions of the springs is ofa torsional nature only and all tendency to bend or break the torsionalportions is obviated.

The longitudinal torsion springs are best adapted where the end of thebody comes close to the semi-elliptic spring so that the torsionalportions do not project sufiiciently to permit a bending strain on thesaid portions.

I claim as my invention 1. In a device of the class described, thecombination with a torsion spring of a leaf spring, a multi-part socketdevice formed separate from the springs having one part attached to anend of a leaf spring and another part positively hinged at one end tosaid first mentioned part, whereby said part may be swung open to anappreciable eX- tent without detaching it; said device havin g a socketin which a torsion spring is supported and means for rigidly andunbendably fastening the ends of said parts opposite the hinge in closedposition.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with torsionsprings provided with enlarged ends, of a leaf spring, a socket devicein a plurality of parts having one part attached to an end of the leafspring and another part hinged at one end to said first mentioned partand said device having a socket to receive the enlarged end of a torsionspring, and means for rigidly and unbendably fastening the ends of saidparts opposite the hinge in closed position.

In a device of the class described, the combination with torsion springsprovided with enlarged ends of leaf springs, and separate socket devicesattached to the ends of the leaf springs in which the enlar ed ends ofthe torsion springs are rotatably supported; one of said socket devicesembodying two members hinged together at one end and bolted together atthe other end to absolutely prevent bending under strain.

at. In a device of the class described, the

combination with torsion springs provided with enlarged ends, of leafsprings, and separate socket devices attached to the ends of the leafsprings; one of said socket devices embodying a member fastened to aleaf spring and having a socket in which the enlarged end of a torsionspring engages, and a screw member for closing the open end of thesocket.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with torsionsprings provided with enlarged ends of leaf springs, and separate socketdevices attached to the ends of the leaf springs; one of said socketdevices embodying a member fastened to a leaf spring andhaving a socketin which the enlarged end of a torsion spring engages, and a circularflange extending laterally from the margin of the socket, and a screwmember for closing the open end of the socket.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with torsionsprings provided with enlarged ends of leaf springs, and separate socketdevices attached to the ends of the leaf springs; one of said socketdevices embodying a member fastened to a leaf spring and having a socketin which the enlarged end of a torsion spring engages, and a circularscrew threaded flange extending laterally from the margin of the socket,and a screw member engaging the screw threaded flange for closing theopen end of the socket.

7. In combination a plurality of springs and means for coupling two ofsaid springs including a multi member hinge device formed separate fromthe springs; one of the members of which is fastened rigidly to one ofthe springs and another member of which is positively hinged at one endto the first mentioned member and is adapted to be completely openedwithout detachment from said first mentioned member and to be bolted atthe opposite end to said first mentioned member and said hinge devicehaving a socket between said hinge and bolt in which a projecting partof another spring is adapted to be rotatably secured.

8. In a combination a semi-elliptic spring, a torsion. spring and meansfor coupling said springs including a hinge device, one of the membersof which is fastened rigidly to the semi-elliptic spring and anothermember of which is hinged at one end to the first mentioned member andis adapted to be bolted at the opposite end to said first mentionedmember and said device having a socket between said hinge and bolt inwhich a projecting part of the torsion spring is adapted to be secured.

9. In combination two pairs of torsion springs secured at opposite endsof a vehicle body and one pair having transversely extending endsprovided with ball enlargements and the other pair having longitudinallyextending ends with ball enlargements, semi-elliptic springs locatednear each end of the body, and socket couplings at the ends of thesemi-elliptic springs, one of said socket couplings embodying two hingedtogether members each having semi-circular recesses and groovesextending from the re eesses to the outer side of the members andanother of said couplings embodying a socket member and a screw cap.

10. In combination two pairs of torsion springs secured at opposite endsof a vehicle body and one pair having transversely extending endsprovided with ball enlargements and the other pair having longitudinallyextending ends with ball enlargements, semi-elliptic springs locatednear each end of the body, and socket couplings at the ends of thesemi-elliptic springs, one of said socket couplings embodying two hingedtogether members each having semi-circular recesses and groovesextending from the recesses to the outer side of the members and anotherof said couplings embodying a socket member having a socket and a slotextending from the socket through the end wall of the member and a screwcap.

RICHARD MULI-IOLLAND.

\Vitnesses L. M. SANGSTER, GEORGE A. NEUBAUER.

